[ecrea] Special Issue of Computers in Human Behavior: "Designing and Evaluating Sociability in Online Video Games"

Special Issue of Computers in Human Behavior: "Designing and
Evaluating Sociability in Online Video Games"

Special Issue Editors

Georgios Christou, European University Cyprus
Panayiotis Zaphiris, Cyprus University of Technology
Effie Lai-Chong Law, University of Leicester
Lennart E. Nacke, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT)
David Geerts, KU Leuven

Description

Computer games are at the forefront of technological innovation; their
popularity in research continuously increasing. Their wide presence
and use makes computer games a major factor affecting the way people
socialize, learn and possibly work.

As increasingly more people become involved with computer games,
researchers need to address various questions on topics as diverse as
social impact, ethical questions, design, flow, presence, and game
experience. This special issue will focus on bringing together work
from various disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, computer
science, human-computer interaction, psychology and others, that look
at how to design and evaluate the social structures that make online
video games so appealing.

Some Suggested Research Topics

Potential topics include (but are not limited to) the following:
* Case studies of online game designs that have (not) succeeded in
promoting sociability, with emphasis on their social structures.
* Studies of designing social structures in online games.
* Empirical studies on social structures in online games and their
impact on the player experience.
* Experimental studies of metrics, methods, and techniques that have
been used to evaluate social structures in online games.
* Conceptual frameworks that enable the evaluation of sociability in
online video games.
* Studies providing connections between player experience and
sociability in online video games.

The special issue will consist of around 8-12 articles. All papers
will undergo peer review. Submit any queries to:
Georgios Christou ((gchristou /at/ yahoo.com) <mailto:(gchristou /at/ yahoo.com)>)

Deadlines

June 15, 2013: Abstract submission (500 words) - Submit abstracts to:
Georgios Christou ((gchristou /at/ yahoo.com) <mailto:(gchristou /at/ yahoo.com)>)
July 1, 2013: Initial notification sent to authors
July 30, 2013: Submission of full papers  - Submit at: Elsevier
system: http://ees.elsevier.com/chb/  (Please select SI: Video Game

Sociability when choosing the Article Type). Author instructions:
http://www.elsevier.com/journals/computers-in-human-behavior/0747-5632/guide-for-authors